SAT/ACT

SAT/ACT

As of January 1, 2017 most students who have an individualized education plan (IEP) or a 504 plan will be able receive the necessary accommodations during their SAT and ACT tests. This is great news for many students as previously students who were used to getting accommodations, such as frequent breaks and extended test taking time were declined those accommodations during their SAT and ACT test by the College Board.

The College Board and its competitor, ACT Inc., have increasingly faced criticism and questions from the U.S. Department of Justice for testing practices that put students with disabilities at a disadvantage compared to students without disabilities. Earlier this year, the department’s civil rights division began investigating the testing organizations’ practices after hearing persistent complaints that they reject many requests for accommodations that are routinely provided by schools, such as extra time or frequent breaks.

School testing accommodation coordinators must now answer just two questions affirmatively to have most students’ requests be approved—”Is the requested accommodation(s) in the student’s plan?” and “Has the student used the accommodation(s) for school testing?” This change is expected to reduce the approval time for accommodation requests. In a statement, David Coleman, the president and CEO of the College Board, said educators, students, and families have been asking for a simpler request process.

“The school staff knows their students best, and we want to cut down on the time and paperwork needed to submit a testing accommodations request.” – said David Coleman, CEO of the College Board